NHTSA Complaint #10143963 — 1999 DODGE STRATUS

ON THANKSGIVING DAY OF 2005 I PICKED UP MY 74 YEAR OLD GRANDMOTHER, WHO IS BLIND TO GO SEE MY MOM, WHO LIVES ABOUT AN HOUR AWAY FROM ME. AS WE WERE APPROACHING MY MOTHER'S HOUSE, I HEARD A POPPING SOUND FROM WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE POWER STEERING HOSE FROM MY 1999 DODGE CHRYSLER STRATUS AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. SMOKE AND FIRE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I STOPPED THE CAR AND PUT IT IN PARK AND SHUT OFF THE IGNITION. I FROZE FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND REALIZED WE HAD TO GET OUT FROM OUT OF THE CAR. I WENT AROUND TO GET MY GRANDMOTHER OUT AND THE LOCKS WENT DOWN AUTOMATICALLY. I OPENED HER DOOR AND TOLD HER TO GET OUT, HOLD ON TO ME AND RUN AS FAST AS SHE COULD. SHE ASKED ME WHAT WAS GOING ON AND I TOLD HER THE CAR WAS ON FIRE AND COULD BLOW UP. WE STARTED RUNNING AND SCREAMING FOR HELP. PEOPLE CAME OUT OF THEIR HOUSES AND TWO MEN TRIED TO PUT DOWN THE FIRE BUT TO NO AVAIL. AFTER A WHILE, THE FIRE DEPT AND POLICE ARRIVED. THE FIRE DEPT. WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT THE CAR'S FRONT WAS COMPLETELY CONSUMED. THE FIRE INSPECTOR TOLD ME HE HAD HEARD OF SIMILAR STORIES WITH THIS CAR. I CALLED CHRYSLER CORP IN PUERTO RICO AND THEY TOLD ME I HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN INSPECTOR FROM CHRYSLER COMES DOWN TO PUERTO RICO AND INSPECTS THE CAR TO SEE IF THEY ARE LIABLE OR NOT. MEANWHILE, I HAVE TO PAY FOR A TOW TRUCK TO BRING THE CAR TO WHEREVER IT IS THEY WILL INSPECT IT AND ALSO, THE LADY WHO TOOK MY COMPLAINT AT CHRYSLER SAID IF THEY FIND THERE WAS A DEFECT, I HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE WHAT CHRYSLER DECIDES TO DO ABOUT IT. I HAVE NO CAR, MY NERVES ARE SHOT AND MY GRANDMOTHER IS A NERVOUS WRECK. THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING WAITING FOR CHRYSLER TO CONTACT ME TO SEE WHEN THEY WILL BE ABLE TO INSPECT MY CAR. PLEASE HELP!!!!*JB